The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-02
A SKETCH OF 1ISSANR,
TIE OLD TIE FoRGER, WHO Is
NOW
Lidng Ia Luxury In California Under
an Assumed Name-The Latest
Sensation.

NEW YoRK, April 1.-The HeraL
tbs morning prints the following in re
gard to the wonderful life OF Bill,
Kissane: "Kissane is well known t.
most prominent Oalifornisus. He hs
for years been very active in Sat
politics, an influential delegate to con
ventions, and a man who was Away
consulted in the division Ct the Bpoils
He never himself, however, ran for al
office tia was higher than that o
County Supervisor. He is Democrat
like the men whom he has selected L
act as his counsel. Senator George
Hearst is en- CID friend Of bic, anC
would, it is said, speak favorabIy o
him, knowing only the history OF thai
part OF his life which he las passed il
the Golden State. IL is not uninter
esting to know that the attorney whom
Kissane cent to this city to make the
motion before Recorder Smyth, which
is to be decided. this morning, to dis
miss the uniried indictment Of 1854
was an acquaintance of the former in
his youth, but lost sight OF him fol
fifteen years, until the moment when
he again net him in California.
Then said this attorney, who ia Mr.
j. b. Hart, of San Francisco, last even
ing, 4 should not have known him
but for certain circumstances, and
even today / could not take my oath
that he is the came Bill Kissane who,
in 1S49, wes a clerk in Lott Pugh's
great pork packing establishment in
Cincinnati
"Without betrsyiDg your profes-
sional trust, Mr.. Hart, can you not
give me mere outline of Mr.. Kis-
saDe's history aside from what has
been already pnblishedP"
Mr.. Hart belongs to the typical
claas Of pioneers, for it wa3 in 1849
that he sold out his store ia Hsmil-
ton, o., and went to California.
Gradually and by gentle suasion
and timely indulgence the following
facts were brought out:
II suppose ali must soon be known
anyhow" he sa'd, "0f course must
stop at the name. know nothing
about these charges of crime except
what ! have discovered by searching
the legal reports. Kissane, as l have
intimated, was known to ne in Gin.
Cinr ali, when kept store in Ham,
ilton. The record shows that he was
accused of being an accomplice in the
burning of the steamer Martha Wash
ingtoD, on the Mississippi river, to-
gether with Cummings, Diane and
others. He was tried at Cincinnati, in
the United States Court, before Judge
Mclean, on an indictment for attempt
ing to swindle insurance companies.
The investigation WAS very exhaustive
and he was acquitted. Subsequently
the judicial authorities of Helena, Ark,
near which place the COZ hagration oc.
CURED, obtained the custody of his
body and tried him for murder, one
person having lost his If on the
steamer. He was again acquitted. l
have the history If both cases. The
first you can find in tie fifth volume
of McLean's Reports. La 1854 the
forgeries were committed which caused
a loss OF $l8,000 to the Chemical Bank.
In November no was indicted. You
already know enough Of that history.
Tn; re is no disposition to deuy his
guilt in connection with those cases.
We will only say that he has outlived
it. II went to California in 1S49. In
1857 l met Kissane out there under
the name which he now bears. SUBJ
sequently learned that bis first venture
in the State was the keeping OF store
in Sacramento. Probably he made
little money at thst, for afterward he
engaged in mining at Gold Hill, New,
with a partner, and together they
achieved a great success. In few
years Kilsane had amassed between
$500, 900 and 100000"
Mr.. Hart was reluctant TO say much
of definite nature regarding Kis.
ssne's present possessions, but said
that there WAS an exaggerated idea
abroad regsrding them. Twenty years
ago he married a beautiful young
lady, who was twenty years his Junior.
They had now either seven or eight
children-tbe attorney was uncertain
as to the exact numbsr.
The wifs is about As years old. She
is amisble and benefcent of dispo-
sition, and is much loved by all who
know her. Kisssne bears his sixty
FIVE years well, and is regarded by
nearly all his neighbors as a man of
the very highest character.
"Iu what county does Kisssne
liver"
"Sonoma."
"Has he any Office in San Fran
cisco?"
"No."
Mr.. Hart denounced the motive of
both the Chemical Bank officers and
Darr as blsckmail, and he
Gays it was in order to head this of
that he made the application to dis
miss the Indictment. Darr had writ
ten not only to the authorities here,
but to these at Helena and Cincinnati
&c well, TO Induce them to make appli-
cation for the extrsdition Of Kissane.
II believe myself" said Mr.. Hart,
hthat Darr expects to divide with the
Chemical Bank the proceeds Of this
claim should Kissane pay it," The
attorney did not deny that his client
would satisfy the demand of the
Chemical Bank rather than have his
present name and connections ex-
posed. "If," however," he added.
'DIrr and the people insist upon |
pressing the Judicial phase OF this |
we shall begin criminal actions
against them at once for blsckmail. |
It is for Il at contingent object that
sx.O Congressman Barclay Henley has
been retained. Why, sir, the attor-
neys OF the Chemical Bank in San.
Francisco, Messrs. Sawyer and Bur
nett, wrote to Kissaue threatening him
With extradition to New York unless
ne paid their client the sum to which |
{ laid claim. But for that we never
hould have called attention to the
Indictment"
want NOlIe PrOsequi EAtered.
NEW York, April 1.-Recorder
,myth, in General Sessions, today,
,eahd ar0ument on the motion nv |